1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hinged detents, and in particular, to hinged detents with simplified structures and adjustable operable angles of rotation.
2. Description of Related Art
Keyboards have long been used as input devices for both mechanical and electrical machines. Recently, keyboards have been used as the predominant input device for electronic devices. For example, keyboards are vital components in computers and other terminals, such as versatile telephones.
Unfortunately, the original design of the keyboard incorporates a single rectangular block of keys. This design causes discomfort to many users. To remedy this deficiency, many modern keyboards have been redesigned by dividing the single block of keys into two smaller blocks that are angled apart from one another, often called v-keyboards. Many keyboard users consider this design to be far more ergonomic. In fact, it alleviates or even eliminates pain and discomfort for many of these users.
Prior art keyboards typically employ one of two techniques to create the v-angle. First, the two halves may be separate with no connecting hinge. This technique results in a fragile and unreliable v-angle. Second, the halves may be connected by a hinge that is secured with a screw. This technique, though, results in a hinge that is difficult, time-consuming, and cumbersome to use, especially in portable devices. In short, no prior art v-keyboard simply and effectively secures and maintains a v-angle.
Looking at small portable consumer electronics products in general, many have hinges that incorporate detent mechanisms. Examples include cell phone flip doors, portable cassette player doors, and swivel antennas. Usually, these prior art detent hinges are composed entirely of plastic components, which is undesirable inasmuch as plastic parts do not wear well against each other. Furthermore, assembly of prior art detents is often difficult.
Many of these products integrate simple detent mechanisms into the plastics of the hinge itself. For example, there is a post-and-hole design wherein a rounded post element protrudes from one side of the hinge towards the other, which has a hole or recessed area for the post to nest into. As the hinge rotates, the post rides out of the hole and slides, under stress, into a new hole. The post then snaps into the new hole, thereby creating the detent feel and holding the product in the operable detent position. Assembly usually consists of forcing the two halves together until they snap together in alignment. Other more complicated prior art designs include camming surfaces and springs in the hinge mechanics.
The primary deficiency of prior art detents is that they wear out quickly. This is especially true of detents molded into the plastics of the hinge because plastics often do not wear well against each other; consequently, the post side usually breaks off or wears away. Nevertheless, this design is frequently used because of its low cost and relative ease of assembly. While it is known to use different materials for parts that wear on each other, the post still tends to eventually break away in part because it is so frequently under stress for relatively long periods of time.
Another drawback to the prior art molded-in solutions is that the detent position cannot be changed, nor can the detent mechanism be easily removed if so desired. The primary drawback of the more complicated solutions, e.g., leaf springs and cams, is just that; they are more complicated. The complications usually lead to higher costs, increased assembly time, a greater number of parts, and more reliability issues. Moreover, these designs occupy significant space within the hinge itself. This is undesirable in today's consumer electronics products in which wires, circuits, connectors, etc. are routed through hinge components and therefore compete for this real estate. In fact, routing wires through the hinge is necessary when the hinge is employed in a v-keyboard because the left and right halves must be connected electrically.
Another deficiency of the prior art with respect to v-keyboards is that they often incorporate a fixed angle between the two blocks; however, a single, set angle is not optimum for all keyboard users. Consequently, many of these v-keyboards permit the angle to be adjusted, which is important because the angle of the v is a prime factor determining the comfort and useability of the keyboard.
While the benefits of adjusting a v-keyboard are significant, unfortunately the difficulty in finding the optimum v-angle is equally significant.
In fact, the process of finding the optimum v-angle is awkward and time-consuming. An initial v-angle must be selected, the keyboard must be secured at this angle (often the prior art used a nut or bolt to secure a given v-angle), and then the keyboard must be used for a period of time. Once the keyboard user determined in which direction to change the v-angle, the process would have to be repeated. And when the direction could not be determined, the direction would have to be chosen by chance, which adds another step in the process. Eventually, after numerous v-angles had been tested, an optimum v-angle was located.
A further problem with these prior adjustable v-keyboards is that each time the v-angle of the keyboard was changed, this lengthy process had to be performed again. This would have occurred frequently, for example, when two keyboard users routinely shared one keyboard. Furthermore, it would occur even more frequently if the v-keyboard concept were to be applied to portable devices whose keyboards are designed to fold to enable compact storage and transport.
Therefore, one object of the invention is to provide a simplified, yet easy to use, hinged detent that is capable of connecting two halves of a v-keyboard and maintaining a v-angle.
Another object of the invention is to provide a low cost hinged detent that is easy to assemble.
Another object of the invention is to provide a hinged detent with ample room for the routing of wires, contacts, etc. through the hinge.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a hinged detent that can be easily modified or removed at a manufacturing location should a product's requirements for a detent or a specific detent position change during a product's life cycle or across a product's family.
Another object is to provide a method to have v-keyboards, once set to an optimum v-angle, automatically open to the optimum v-angle.
Another object is to provide a method for a v-keyboard to "remember" the preferred v-angle.
Yet another object is to provide a method to be able to easily and conveniently set the optimum v-angle.
Yet another object is to provide a method to be able to easily and conveniently set the optimum v-angle without tools.
A further object is to provide a method for the keyboard user to be able to quickly relocate a preferred v-angle, even when another keyboard user has changed the stored v-angle, without going through a long process.
A still further object is to provide a method to set the v-angle with a dial, or visible tip, once the v-keyboard is in its desired operating position.
A general object is to provide an adjustable hinge detent usable in a variety of products.
The aforementioned deficiencies of the prior art are remedied by the above stated objects of the invention, which invention is described and explained fully below.